Indexable sprayer with plural nozzle orifices



June 23, 1970 R. G. PIGGOTT 3,516,611

INDEXABLE SPRAYER WITH PLURAL NozzLE ORIFICES Filed June 4, 1968 2 Sheetsheet l 29a 37 1% l -43 29 u 2o ,5S/34 4Q 25 INVENTOR RCHARD G. PlGGOTT ATTO RNEYS United States Patent O 3,516,611 INDEXABLE SPRAYER WITH PLURAL NOZZLE ORIFICES Richard G. Piggott, Bellwood, Ill., assignor to Spraying Systems Co., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 4, 1968, Ser. No. 734,270 Int. Cl. A62c 31/02 U.S. Cl. 239-391 11 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A nozzle assembly including a plurality of nozzle tips which are selectively indexed into a fluid line. Novel seal and holding means are spring and fluid pressure biased so that the latching action as well as the sealing action tighten as fiuid pressure increases. In the event of seal failure, bleed passages prevent fiuid from being directed toward the operator manipulating the nozzle.

The present invention is directed to new and useful improvements in spray nozzle assemblies utilizing a plurality of nozzle orifices which may be indexed so that one orifice at a time is in communication with fiuid from an inlet conduit.

The major purposes of the present invention are to so arrange a plural nozzle tip holder for rotation on a support that the support for the nozzles is effectively held in a selected indexed position and the nozzle support is effectively sealed by a single combined latching and sealing element, while the effectiveness of both the latch and sealing element is increased as fiuid pressure through the nozzle assembly increases, thus making it difiicult for the user of the nozzle to index the same when the line pressure is supplied to the nozzle assembly, and to so arrange plural nozzle assemblies of this class in such a way that if the operator attempts to index the nozzle while the line pressure is still on, fluid from the inlet conduit of the nozzle is directed outwardly away from the operator and at the same time, if the seal in the nozzle should fail for any particular reason, the uid again will be directed outwardly away from the operator. The use of a particular varrangement of bleed ports provides this safety feature and minimizes the tendency for injury due to seal failure. The bleed ports also prevent buildup of pressure which might otherwise damage the coupling elements of the nozzle assembly.

These and other purposes of the invention will become more apparent in the course of the ensuing specification and claims, when taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a typical nozzle assembly incorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the nozzle assembly illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of a nozzle tip backup or plate illustrated in FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a sectional View of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the nozzle assembly illustrated in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a modified form of nozzle assembly incorporating certain principles of the invention.

Like characters designate like elements throughout the specification and drawings.

With specific reference now to the drawings and in the kfirst instance to FIG. l, the numeral 20 designates an inlet conduit fitting. One end of the fitting or body is internally threaded as at 21 for coupling to some complementary threaded conduit through which uid is supplied.

The other end of the inlet fitting carries a circular support plate 22 with the center of the support plate 22 being 3,516,611 Patented June 23, 1970 lCe offset from the axis of the inlet fitting. The support plate 22 may be welded or otherwise fixed to the end of the fitting 20.

A nozzle tip support is defined by a first backup or nozzle carrying plate 23 and a second plate 24. The two plates 23 and 24 are coupled together as by means of a bolt 25 which extends coaxially with the axes of the plates 23 and 24 and coaxially with the backup or support plate 22.

The assembled backup plate 23 and tip holding plate 24 are held in position with the rear face of backup plate 23 against support plate 22 by means of a coupling ring 26 which has a shoulder or flange 27 abuttable against the back of support plate 22. Ring 26 has threads 28 on the forward portion thereof for engagement with cooperating threads on the nozzle tip holder 24. By rotating the coupling ring 26 the assembled nozzle plate and tipholder may be brought fiush against the support plate 22 or may be disassembled therefrom through opposite rotation of the ring 26.

A plurality of nozzle tips 29 are received in apertures in the tip holder 24 and equally spaced from the axis of the support plate. The tips 29 are spaced from this axis such that during rotation of the tip holder a selected nozzle tip may be brought into alignment with the inlet passage formed through the body 20. In FIG. 1, each nozzle tip 29 is formed with an enlarged circular plate-like portion 29a. The rear face of this plate-like portion 29a bears against O-ring Seals 30 which are supported in grooves in the nozzle plate. The seals 30 extend around passages 31 in the nozzle plate. The passages 31 are aligned with the passages through the nozzle tips and are selectively alignable with the inlet passage through the inlet fitting 20 by rotation of the support plate and nozzle tip holding plate 24.

It should be noted that the nozzle tip holding plate 24 has a rim 32 formed around a space in the rearwardly facing portion of the plate 24. A reduced forwardly projecting portion of the plate 23 fits within this space. Preferably, the projection and space are noncircular in shape, as, for example, an essentially square shape so that the plates 23 and 24 are locked together for unitary rotation. The backup plate has a rear peripheral portion seated against a shoulder 33 in the ring 26 so that the distance between the flange 27 and the backup plate 23 is limited by the abutment of the nozzle plate against the shoulder 33 and by abutment of the nozzle tip carrying plate against the plate 23. This spatial relation is set so that the plate 23 may be drawn up flush against the surface of the support plate 22 while the support plate 22 is flush against the flange 27, but without necessarily producing a binding engagement which would preclude rotation of coupling ring 26, plate 23 and nozzle tip carrying plate 24 unitarily about the central axis of the support plate 22.

yIn further accordance with the invention, a sealing and latching element 34 is slidably mounted in the forwardly facing portion of the inlet passage 35 of the inlet fitting 20. This element may carry an O-ring seal 36 in a peripheral groove of the element and which seals against the inner wall of the inlet passage 35. Element 34 has a reduced passageway 37 therein `which is coaxially aligned with the inlet passage 35 and alignable with a selected passage 31 which in turn is aligned with the passages through the particular spray tip 29 associated therewith. A coil spring 38 extends between the rear face of the element 34 and a surface 39 formed in the inlet passage so as to bias the element 34 forwardly and against the backup plate '23. Element 34 carries a quadring resilient s'eal 40 which is seated in a circular groove formed in the forward face of element 34 and which is adapted to seal against the rearwardly facing surface of the plate 23.

In order to hold the nozzle tip assembly in a selected position with a selected nozzle tip aligned with the inlet passage and with the passageway 37 formed through element 34, element 34 has a beveled projection 41 formed around passageway 37 and adapted to seat in matching, beveled, recessed, annular surfaces 42 formed around each of the passages 31 in the nozzle plate. The surfaces 42 may have a slightly greater inclination than the Ibeveled surface of the projection 41. The beveled surfaces 42 around the passages 31 may be omitted, if desired. If omitted, the beveled projection is sized to fit within the passages 31 to hold the plate 23 in indexed position. The projection 41 thus latches the nozzle plate in position under infiuence of spring 38 and fluid pressure directed against the rear face of element 34.

In indexable nozzles of this type, prior assemblies have been so arranged that the operator of the nozzle is not adequately protected against a rearwardly directed stream of fluid from the nozzle in the event of seal failure in the nozzle or for some other reason. The nozzle of FIG. l includes an arrangement of passages so that the pressure of the fluid stream through the inlet body always forces fluid forwardly irrespective of seal failure within the nozzle assembly. In the nozzle of FIGS. 1-3, this is accomplished by having pressure bleed or escape passages 43 formed through the nozzle plate and through the backup plate 23 at positions between the nozzle tips. This is most clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. These bleed passages 43 are positioned radially outwardly of the passages 31 in nozzle plate 23 and the passages through the nozzles. An annular portion 44 of reduced diameter on plate 23 defines an annular passage positioned outwardly of the passages 31 and in communication with the bleed passages 43.

In operation of the nozzle illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 inclusive, particular nozzles with different spray orifices are Selected and inserted in the nozzle tip supporting plate 24. The nozzle plate is then brought up against the rearwardly facing surfaces of the nozzle tips. Screw 25 is inserted and tightened to bring the nozzle tips in seal tight relation with the seals 30. The nozzle tip assembly may then be `brought up flush against the support plate 22 through rotation of the retaining ring 26. It should be understood that the types of nozzle tips used in the assembly may be widely varied so as to provide in any one assembly four nozzle tips which provide varying types of fluid orifices and streams issuing from the nozzle assembly.

With the nozzle assembly indexed to a position aligning one of the passages 31 for a particular nozzle with the passage 37 through element 34, the projection 41 holds the nozzle assembly in the selected position because of the spring 35. Spring 35 also holds the seal 40 in tight sealing relation against the backup plate 23. The strength of the spring 39 is effective to maintain this sealand latching relation in the absence of fluid pressure through the inlet ybody 20. When uid under pressure is supplied through the inlet passage in body 20, part of the pressure is directed against the rear surface of the element 34 and this pressure forces element 34 more tightly against the nozzle plate 23. This increases the sealing action of the quadring seal 40 and the latching effect of projection 41. As pressure is increased, the amount of force directed against element 34 and the resulting sealing and latching forces also increase, thus making it difficult to index the nozzle assembly from one position to the other when the assembly is subjected to the higher pressures. This holding action tends to remind the operator that he should turn off the line pressure from the nozzle assembly before he indexes the nozzle to a new position. If, for any reason, the operator should index the nozzle assembly without turning off the line pressure, the pressure may be relieved through the `bleed ports 4 3 and through the passage 44 because, during indexing movement, quadring 40 is out of sealing engagement with Vthe nozzle plate 23, thus allowing communication of uid between the element 34 and nozzle plate 23 to the passage 44. If, for any reason, the seal provided by the quadring 40 should fail, the ,resulting leakage of fluid between the element 34 and support plate 23 is again through annular passage 44 and through the bleed ports 43 which direct this fluid forwardly and away from the operator.

In the event of seal failure of the O-ring 30, the space 45 defined around the nozzle tips and within the rim of plate 24 allows communication of this pressure to the bleed ports for relief in a direction forwardly and away from the operator manipulating the nozzle.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate a variant form of nozzle assembly utilizing principles of the present invention. In FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, certain elements such as the inlet body, sealing and latching plug 34, Spring 35, support plate 22 and retaining ring 26 are formed in a manner similar to the correspondingly numbered elements in FIGS. l through 3. In FIGS. 4 and 5, however, the nozzle tip carrying assembly includes a circularly formed nozzle holder 50 which is threaded into retaining ring 26. A plurality of nozzle orifices of varying style are formed through a nozzle plate element l51 as is represented by the orifices 51a, 51b, 51e` and 51d. This plural nozzle plate is circularly formed and held against support plate 22. The nozzle holder 50 has an enlarged central aperture 50a which is shaped to receive the portions of plate 51 ywhich define the nozzle tips. The inwardly facing portion of the nozzle holder bears against a flange 52 of the nozzle plate 51 so that the nozzle plate may be brought up snug against the sealing and latching element 34. As in the case of FIG. 1, the sealing and latching element 34 includes a forwardly facing beveled projection 41 which is adapted to be received in correspondingly shaped recesses 44 in the rearwardly facing portion of the nozzle plate and formed around passages 53 leading to the orifices in the nozzle plate.

As is the case in FIGS. 1-3, the forwardly facing surface of the element 34 carries a seal which is adapted to seal against the rearwardly facing portions of the nozzle plate and around the passages 53 and 37. In FIGS. 4 and 5, however, the seal is defined by an -O-ring 54 rather than the quadring illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. The latching and sealing element 34 of FIGS. 4 and 5 may have an O-ring seal 36 as in FIG. 1. Also in FIGS. 4 and 5, an annular passage v55 is defined in the nozzle plate 51 and at a position spaced radially outwardly from the passages 53. If desired, this annular passage may communicate with a plurality of forwardly directed bleed passages which may `be drilled in nozzle holder 50 between the nozzle orices and radially outwardly therefrom (as in FIGS. 1-3) so that in the event of seal failure of the ring 54, the pressure is relieved through the bleed passages and in a direction forwardly of the operator manipulating the nozzle.

The operation of the nozzle assembly of FIGS. 4 and 5 is similar to that of FIGS. 1-3 except that assembly and disassembly of nozzles is made through use of the single nozzle plate 51 having a plurality of different styles and patterns of orifices formed unitarily therewith.

FIG. 6 illustrates a variant form of nozzle assembly which utilizes the principles of the sealing and latching plug of FIGS. 1-5, without using the arrangement of bleed passages and while using a variant form of sealing arrangement for the sealing and latching plug. In FIG. 6, for example, inlet body t60 has a sealing and latching element 61 slidably mounted therein and biased toward a nozzle tip supporting plate 62 by a coil spring 63 positioned in the inlet passage. In FIG. 6, the support plate 64 is formed unitarily with the inlet fitting while having a shape and position generally the same as the support plates 22 of FIGS. 1-5. In FIG. 6', plural nozzle tips `65 are removably carried by the nozzle plate 62. The nozzle plate `62 is rotatably carried Within a coupling 66 which surrounds both the nozzle plate and the support plate 64. Coupling ring 66 has a flange 66a received within a portion y62a of reduced diameter on the nozzle plate. A retaining ring 67 is received within a groove in the rearward portion of the coupling element 66 and bears against the rear surface of support plate 64 so as to hold the same snug against the nozzle tip carrying plate 62. In FIG. 6, a single quadring -68 is carried in a recess in the sealing and latching element `61 at a position so that a forwardly facing portion of the quadring seals against the rearwardly facing surface of the nozzle tip aligned therewith as at -69 and also seals against the wall 70 of the inlet passage. The element 61 has a forwardly facing, beveled projection 71 as in FIGS. 1-5 for cooperation with a correspondingly shaped recess 72 in the rear portion of each nozzle tip and around the passage 73 formed through each nozzle tip.

The operation of the sealing and latching element 61 in FIG. 6 is the same as the operation of the sealing and latching element of FIGS. 1-5 except that the single quadring 70 takes the place of the plural seal rings 0n element 34 in FIGS. 1 5. In FIG. 6, the elements are assembled Iby positioning sealing and latching element 61 in the inlet passage of the inlet 'body and against spring 63. Nozzle tips are then inserted in the nozzle plate 62 and the coupling y66 positioned thereover. The coupling 66 and nozzle plate are then brought up snug against support plate 64 and against seal ring `68. The retaining ring 67 is then inserted and the nozzle tip supporting plate may then be indexed from one position to the other against the resilient `bias of spring 63.

Other types of seals may be used with the sealing and latching elements to form a seal around the aligned passages of the element and nozzle carrying member. For example a single elastomeric ring of cylindrical shape may be seated in a reduced diameter of the element and positioned outwardly of the beveled latching projection. Such a ring may be Ibonded to the latching element and sized to seal against the surface of the plate 30 in PIG. l and also against the wall of the passage 3S.

In all forms of the invention, the sealing and latching element is biased against the nozzle supporting element by the action of the spring as well as fluid pressure in the inlet fitting. Indexing movement cams the sealing and latching element rearwardly and breaks the seal. When the nozzle carrying member is indexed to a new position, the backup spring urges the sealing and latching element into engagement with the nozzle carrying member. At low pressures, the effect of fluid pressure on the sealing and latching element may be relatively light Ibut the spring is nonetheless effective to maintain the seal around the aligned passages leading to the nozzle orifices. As pressure increases, the sealing and latching engagement increases with the increase in pressure. At relatively high pressures, the engagement between the sealing and latching element and the nozzle supporting member is sufficiently tight that it is difficult to index the nozzle.

Whereas I have shown and described an operative form of the invention, it should be understood that this showing and description thereof should be taken in an illustrative or diagrammatic sense only. There are modifications to the invention which will fall within the scope and spirit thereof, and which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention should be measured only by the scope of the hereinafter appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An indexable nozzle assembly for plural nozzles including a conduit and a support plate positioned on said conduit in eccentric relation to the axis of said conduit, a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzle orifice defining means positioned thereon and equally spaced from the center of said support plate, said nozzle plate having spaced passages therein communicable with said nozzle orifice defining means, a latching element slidably positioned within said conduit and having a passageway of reduced diameter formed therethrough coaxially with the passage through said conduit so that uid pressure in said conduit biases said element toward said nozzle plate, spring means biasing said element toward said nozzle plate, said nozzle plate having recessed surfaces formed around said passages, said latching element having a surface formed for reception in an aligned one of said surfaces under the influence of said spring, and coupling means for coupling said support plate and said nozzle plate together while allowing 4rotation of said nozzle plate about its center and in such fashion that the passageway through said element may be selectively aligned with a selected passage through said nozzle plate.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said element has seal means positioned around the passageway of said element and engageable lwith an opposed surface of said nozzle plate.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said nozzle plate includes a plurality of spray tips removably held on said plate.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said nozzle plate has said nozzle orifice defining means formed integrally therewith.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said nozzle plate includes a plurality of pressure relief apertures positioned radially outwardly of the passages through said nozzle plate, said apertures providing outlet passages directed in the same direction as the orifices in said nozzle tips.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes first and second coupling elements in threaded relation, one of said coupling elements including a flange positioned over marginal portions of said support plate and the other of said elements having a fliange positioned over marginal portions of said nozzle p ate.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said recesses and said surface on said latching element are formed as mat ing beveled surfaces.

8. The structure of claim 1 wherein said nozzle plate has a plurality of nozzles removably held thereon by an additional plate and said coupling means includes first and second elements threaded together and having flange portions overlying said support plate and said addi-- tional plate.

9. In an indexable sprayer, a support and inlet passage means formed therethrough, a nozzle support member positioned against said support and coupling means for holding said support and nozzle carrying member in assembled position while allowing rotation of said nozzle carrying member relative to said support, said nozzle carrying member having means defining plural nozzle oriices, said inlet passage means being positioned eccentrically with respect to the axis of said nozzle member and support, said nozzle member being indexable to allow a selected orifice to be moved into a position cornmunicating with said inlet passage, seal means formed around said inlet passage to prevent escape of fluid from Said passage and the orifice in communication therewith, an annular passage formed between said support and nozzle member and positioned radially outwardly of the seal means, and pressure escape passage means formed through said nozzle member and communicating with said anular passage, said pressure escape passage means having 1cciutlets directed in the same direction as the nozzle orices.

10. The structure of claim 9 wherein said nozzle carrying member includes a portion of reduced diameter t0 define said annular passage.

11. An indexable nozzle assembly for plural nozzles including a support having a liquid inlet passage positioned eccentrically to the center of said support, a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzle orifice defining means positioned thereon and equally spaced from the center of the support, said nozzle plate having spaced passages therein communicable with said nozzle orifice dening means, a latching element slidably positioned within said inlet passage and having a passageway of reduced diameter formed therethrough coaxially with said passage so that fluid pressure in said passage biases said element toward said nozzle plate, spring means biasing said element toward said nozzle plate, said nozzle plate having recessed surfaces formed around said passages, said latching element having a surface formed for reception in an aligned one of said surfaces under the influence of Said spring, and coupling means for coupling said support and said nozzle plate together while allowing rotation of said nozzle plate about its center and movement of said element surface Iaway from engagement with one of said surfaces and in such fashion that the passageway 8 through said element may be selectively aligned with a selected passage through said nozzle plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,225,972 1'2/ 1965 Brumbach 222-516 2,388,093 10/1945 Smith 239-394 3,377,028 4/ 19168 Bruggeman 239--394 10 M. HENSON WOOD, I R., Primary Examiner G. A. CHURCH, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

